This isn’t about a single walk as such but more of a group of small wanders we had in a new area, to start with I had finally had a small operation to remove what is known as a Traumatic neuroma in my stump, something I should have got removed weeks or even months before but being a dick head I left it far too late and it was only when it really started to hurt I plucked up the nerve to get something done about it.

The operations was done in the new Hexham hospital under a local and to be honest it’s a simple minor bit or surgery, the only problem was how would it effect my stump and I was concerned that where the cut line was if it was on a stretch or pressure point it could takes weeks before it healed up enough for me to wear my arty leg. And I really didn’t want to go back in the wheel chair or hobble around on crutches for any amount of time.

However on discussing my fears with the surgeon he made several suggestions and even said that he would alter from where he made the cut line and suggested that if I could wear my leg and liner right up to the time I was on the table then put it straight on after the operation it would help with not only the swelling but also help keep the wound sealed closed, I must admit I was a bit doubtful but agreed and so straight after the op I found myself rolling on the liner over what was a very tiny cut line , all nicely seal up and looking very neat ,next it was the hard part slipping into my Arty leg , I will admit to being a bit scared and didn’t really know what to expect but much to my delight things went on ok , now I know that the area was still numbed by the injection but it felt ok , better still I couldn’t feel the nerve pain that I had before so I knew the operation was successful, I wasn’t allowed home for a few hours and I spent the time mooching around and trying to look really poorly on the bed , eventually after I had eaten a couple of bits of toast and had a cup of tea and of course had a wee I was allowed home with some simple instructions , the stitches would dissolve on their own and providing I wasn’t really stupid things should be fine and I didn’t need to return , and so my better half drove me back home .

I decided that I would shower that night with my seal on and try to sleep with it on, and much to my surprise I did , however come the morning there was no way I could get into my socket the whole of my leg had swollen up around the cut area , bummer ! So that was it! Something I had been expecting but still secretly hoped wouldn’t happen.

Time for Plan B, I decided to carefully remove the seal and have a look, nice small cut line but the area around it was showing signs of bruising, so weather I wanted it or not time to take it easy & keeping all weight off it and I decided to put a cold compress on the area, this seemed to help and so for the rest of the day I watched day time TV (what a load of crap) but all things considering I felt pretty good , I cleaned up all around the area using wet wipes and of course had a poke of the bruised area and if the truth was known it didn’t hurt so I figured a couple of days and I should be ready to go .

My Better half suggested that we book up at a camp site and get away in the Van for a rest someplace nice, and so we booked up at the campsite near Byrness Northumberland for the Friday. Naturally it didn’t enter my head that I wouldn’t be up and about by then but as luck would have it for some unknown reason I heal really fast and come Thursday I could get my leg on without any problems, the swelling had gone as quickly as it started but it did feel tender so I would have to take it easy. So come Friday we found ourselves picking up the van (Vickie) and driving up to the caravan site. Setting up the van and awning did cause a bit of bother with my wound but nothing to get concerned about.

Time to start walking again

Next morning we discussed getting out for a very small walk later on in the day, I knew that I couldn’t go far or do much but I was getting desperate to try to do something, our caravan pitch was right by the side of the river Rede right by a footbridge which took us right onto the section of the Pennine way leading to Byrness so that was my target today, a wander along the forest track to the ford at Byrness and then back again. Nothing really in the great scheme of things but a big leap of faith for me, the weather was perfect and so we took a slow wander along, I have to say I really enjoyed this walk even if it did take ages. At one point we did speed up as we met up with a couple of really nasty geese that let it be known that they wanted to kill us and drink our blood , fortunately there was a wire fence between us and them but they really did look mean . After this small walk, my wound was putting a bit but nothing to get concerned about , a couple of photos from this afternoon :-

Heading of along the woodland track (it’s part of the Pennine way)

A break in the trees

All very easy (and slow) walking

Showing where they have thinned out the trees (lots of green growth)

The ford

Looking across at the church at Byrness

My better half letting me know it’s time to turn around and head back

A few plants we saw on the way back

Mean geese

Next small wander

My cut line (wound ) looked ok the next morning but was still a bit tender when I poked it with my finger (make a mental note not to prod too hard) plus the area around it was still a dirty yellow color but at least the dark bruising had gone so I was on the mend …provided I didn’t overdo it , so once again I decided on a small wander to make the most of the sunny weather and just to keep me mobile , I had read up about a group of stones that were within easy walking distance of the campsite known as Three Kings stone circle info :-

(Bronze Age four-poster stone circle, now with three stones standing and one fallen. An outer circle of small stones was recorded in the 1940s but field investigation in 1970 found this no longer visible. In 1911/12 it was reported that 'treasure seekers had recently dug a hole near the centre', and excavation in 1971)

A bit further walking wise than what I did the day before and a bit of the up’s and downs were involved but something I felt that I could do , Yvonne agreed and so that was our route for the afternoon , again a nice slow wander , there was a bit of the uphill stuff to have a go at and the different angle did seem to put a lot of extra pressure on the wound causing it to start stinging a bit but nothing to get concerned about , we found the standing stones no problem (well the route was well signposted ) and a few photos were taken and I decided to treat myself to a well-deserved sit down and rest ………yes I was feeling a bit on the knackered side something that I really didn’t like and couldn’t understand , but after a ten minute rest we had a slow wander back , going downhill really caused my wound to start putting and by the time I got back to the campsite it was really letting me know that it was pissed with me and I was going to suffer.

On removing Arty leg for a shower later that evening proved that somehow I had managed to overdo things, the wound was all red / sweaty and angry looking and the area around it looked swollen and was very tender when I poked it with my finger , still nothing I could do about it except take it easy and for the rest of the night I decided to use crutches and let the air get to it then later sat with a cold compress on the area hoping that it would get back to normal , a few photos from today :-

Looking back towards the caravan site

The Three Kings stone circle

From here it’s possible to see the fells but far too far for me today

A couple more photos

Heading back

Looking towards Byrness hill from the campsite

The following morning it became apparent that it would take more than a good night’s sleep to repair the damage so today we spent a day sitting around doing bugger all , me with my leg off , as a treat Yvonne suggested that we have a drive into Jedburgh to have a mooch around the old ruined Abby :-

Jedburgh Abbey, a ruined Augustinian abbey which was founded in the 12th century, is situated in the town of Jedburgh, in the Scottish Borders 10 miles north of the border with England at Carter Bar.

Here we managed to get ice cream and had a mooch around, we didn’t go far as I was on crutches and then we treated ourselves to a pub tea .very nice it was to.

A few photos from today

A couple of photos taken at the boarder at Carter Bar

And Jedburgh Abby

After yet another quite night with me sitting holding a cold compression over the wound I woke up and my wound looked much better and the constant thumping had stopped, in fact it looked that good I decided that I would wear my arty leg today, my better half agreed but (and it was a loud but) I had to take it easy.

So today we jumped into the car an took a drive along the Kielder forest drive, we stopped at several places that had been marked on the map and had a mooch around, then it was across to Kielder itself and a very small wander along a very small section of the reservoir then back to the main visitors center for a cream tea , then a drive back across the forest drive to our campsite , I will say that the drive is excellent (of course you have to pay a toll) but you get to see some lovely views .

Again a few photos

On the Forestry drive

Yvonne taking over the driving for the day

A couple more taken from the track

One of the locals

A few photos taken at Kielder (near Bull Crag Peninsula)

Today was our last full day up here and I was keen to try to get out for a small walk someplace, but it all rested on how the wound was, it appeared that by taking it easy for the last couple of days the wound had settled down, in fact it looked all very neat and tidy, all the angry redness had gone likewise the yellow / bruising color had all but gone as well so today I decided that we would have a wander to see the small water fall at Hindhope Linn, all easy walking straight from our campsite , I must admit it was a very enjoyable walk and the forestry people had done a good job of marking up the route and keeping the hand rails and steps in a good condition , the Linn or waterfall is a delight a small but well hidden gem well worth the effort to see it , I wonder how many other small little “gems” there are hidden away, after a few photos we made our way back all at a nice easy pace , I will admit to starting to feel a bit of an ache and bit of soreness by the time we got back to the camp site , but when checking the wound it didn’t appear angry but it did go to prove a point that it might look ok and feel ok but it still wasn’t ready for any serious hiking yet , but all in all I enjoyed this trip away , yes my stump might not be up for much at the moment but it is soooo much better than what it was before the op so as long as I can take it easy , things will get back to normal anyway a few photos from today’s little wander .